rule of the whole of his procedure, Isa. xlii. 8. Q. 4. What is God's justice in relation to rational creatures? A. It is his righteous government of them, according to their nature, and the law he hath given them, Rom. ii. 12. 14, 15. Q. 5. How is it usually distinguished? A. Into legislative and distributive justice. Q. 6. What is legislative justice? A. It is his giving most holy, just and good laws, to rational creatures, commanding and forbidding them, what is fit for them to do, or forbear, Isa. xxxiii. 22. Q. 7. Hath man a power to give obedience to these laws? A. He once had power, but by the fall he hath lost it, Rom. iii. 23. Q. 8. How doth it consist with the justice of God to demand that obedience which man hath not power to give? A. They are two: the law of works, and the law of faith. Q. 11. Where are they mentioned? A. In Rom. iii. 27. "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith." Q. 12. What is understood by the law of works and the law of faith? A. By the law of works is understood the covenant of works; and by the law of faith the covenant of grace. Q. 13. What is due to the sinner, in justice, according to the law of works? A. Death and the curse; which include all woe and misery, in time, and through eternity, Rom. vi. 23. Gal, iii. 10. Q. 14. What is the sinner's due according to the law of faith? A. Acquittance and acceptance, on account of the Suretyrighteousness imputed to him, and apprehended by faith, Rom. iii. 24. and viii. 1. Q. 15. Is God just in dealing thus with the ungodly sinner, who believes in Christ?' A. God cannot lose his right to demand obedience to his laws, though man hath lost his power to give it, especially as man's inability was contracted by his A. Yes: his righteousness is own voluntary apostasy and re- declared in so doing, Rom. iii. bellion; Eccl. vii. 29. Lo, this 25, 26. "Whom God hath set only have I found, that God forth for a propitiation, through hath made man upright: but faith in his blood, to declare his they have sought out many in- righteousness,-that he might be ventions." just, and the justifier of him which Q. 9. What is God's distribu- believeth in Jesus." tive justice? A. It is his constant will to render to rational creatures their due, according to law, without respect of persons, Job xxxiv. 11. 1 Pet. ì. 17. Q. 10. What are the laws according to which God will distribute justice among men? Q. 16. Doth God reward the sincere, though imperfect obedience of his people to the law, as a rule of life? A. In keeping of his commandments there is indeed great reward, Psal. xix. 11; but then this reward is entirely of free grace, and not of debt, Rom. iv. 4, 5; it is not on account of any worth in their obedience, Psal. cxv. 1; but only on account of what Christ hath merited, by his obedience to the death, 1 Pet. ii. 5. Q. 17. How is this kind of justice called? A. Remunerative, or rewarding justice, Psal. lvii. 11-"Verily there is a reward for the righte ous. Q. 18. Is not God's taking vengeance on transgressors, a righteous act of justice? A. Yes: for every transgression and disobedience receives a just recompense of reward, Heb. ii. 2. "It is a righteous thing to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you," 2 Thess. i. 6. Hence, says the same apostle, Rom. iii. 5, 6" Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? God forbid; for then how shall God judge the world"" Q. 19. How is this justice of God called? A. Vindictive or punishing justice, Acts xxviii. 4. Q. 20. What is vindictive justice? A. It is God's inflicting the punishment upon sin, which is threatened in the law, Gen. ii. 17. Ezek. xviii. 4. Q. 21. Could God, of his own free will, have pardoned sin without a satisfaction to his justice? A. No: for he hath declared, "that in forgiving iniquity, transgression and sin," he "will by no means clear the guilty," namely, without a satisfaction, Exod. xxxiv. 7. Q. 22. How do you prove, that vindictive, or punishing justice, is essential to God? A. From the infinite holiness of God, who cannot but hate, and consequently punish sin, Hab. i. 12, 13; from his faithfulness in the threatening, Gen. ii. 17. Psal. xcv. 11; from the remarkable judgments that have been inflicted on sinners in this life, Jude ver. 5. 7; and from the sufferings and death of God's only begotten Son, whom he would surely have spared, if there had been any other possible way of pardoning sin, but through his satisfaction, Mat. xxvi. 42. 2 Cor. v. 21. Q. 23. What improvement ought we to make of the justice of God, as glorified by the satisfactory death of his own Son? A. To plead the perfect and full satisfaction thereof by the Surety, as the honourable channel in which we expect all mercy and grace to flow plentifully unto us, as the Psalmist did, Psal. xxv. 11. "For thy name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great. Of God's Goodness. Q. 1. What is the [goodness] of | and the author and fountain of all good to others, Ps. cxix. God? A. It is that essential pro- 68. perty of his nature, whereby Q. 2. How may the goodness he is infinitely good in himself, of God be distinguished? A. Into his absolute and rela- | tive goodness. Q. 3. What is his absolute goodness? Q. 8. How is this goodness distinguished? A. Into common and special goodness. Q. 9. What is this common good A. It is the essential goodness of his nature, without consider-ness? ing it in relation to the creatures, Mat. xix. 17.-"There is none good but one, that is, God." A. His dispensing the good things of this life, promiscuously, among his creatures, Matth. v. 45.-"He maketh his sun to rise Q. 4. What is his relative good-on the evil and on the good, and ness? sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust." Q. 10. Is God good even to the wicked, who are his enemies? A. It is the relation that his goodness bears unto the creatures: both in the propensity of his nature to do them good, Exod. xxxiii. 19; and in the A. Yes: for he not only proactual manifestation and com-vides for them, "filling their munication of the blessings of hearts with food and gladness," his bounty unto them, in crea- Acts xiv. 17; but exercises long tion, providence, and redemp-suffering patience towards them, tion, chap. xxxiv. 6, 7. Neh. ix. 17; and affords such of them as are within the visible church, the means of salvation, Acts xiii. 26. Q. 5. How is the goodness of God manifested in the work of creation in general? A. In giving being to his creatures, when he stood in no need of them, being infinitely happy in himself, though no creature had ever been made, Psal. xvi. 2; and in making all things very good, Gen. i. 31. Q. 6. How is the goodness of God displayed in the creation of man in particular? A. In making him after his own image, and furnishing the world with such a variety of creatures for his use, giving him dominion over them, Gen. i. 27, 28; and in entering into covenant with him, chap. ii. 16, 17. Q. 7. How is the goodness of God manifested in his providence? A. In preserving his creatures, and making bountiful provision for them, Psal. cxlv. 9. 15, 16. Q. 11. What is the special goodness of God? A. It is his distinguishing love to a certain number of mankind lost, manifested in their redemption through Christ, Rev. v. 9. Q. 12. Wherein doth the goodness of God appear in the work of redemption? A. Both in the contrivance and execution thereof. Q. 13. How doth the goodness of God appear in the contrivance of redemption? A. In remembering us in our low estate, Psal. cxxxvi. 23; laying our help on his own Son, the mighty One, Psal. lxxxix. 19; and in setting him up as a new covenant head from everlasting, Prov. viii. 23. Q. 14. How doth it appear in the execution of our redemption? A. In sending his Son to assume our nature, and therein to fulfil all righteousness for us, John iii. 16. Jer. xxiii. 6; and on the foundation of that righteousness, giving us grace and glory, and every good thing, from a cup of cold water, to a seat with him on his throne, Psal. lxxxiv. 11. Rev. iii. 21. Q. 15. What are the streams in which the special goodness of God doth flow out? A. In the streams of love, grace, and mercy according to his name, Exod. xxxiv. 6.- The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious," &c. Q. 16. What is the difference betwixt the love, grace, and mercy of God? Q. 19. Where is this goodness of God laid up? A. It is laid up in Christ, who hath received the gifts of God's goodness for men, Psal. Ixviii. 18. "When he ascended up on high, he-gave gifts unto men;" Eph. iv. 8; and therefore, God hath made him most blessed for ever, Psal. xxi. 6. Q. 20. How is this goodness laid out and brought near to us? A. It is laid out in the exceeding great and precious promises, 2 Pet. i. 4. and brought near in the full, free, and unhampered offer of the gospel, Mark xvi. 15. Q. 21. How are we savingly interested in all this goodness? A. They are much the same, A. By faith, receiving and only love considers the sinner sim-resting upon Christ alone for ply as God's creature; grace views salvation, as he is freely offered him as ill-deserving; and mercy, in the gospel, John i. 12, 1 Cor. through a satisfaction, respects iii. 22, 23. him as in misery. Q. 17. Who are the objects of] God's special goodness? A. His chosen ones, Psal. cvi. 4, 5.-"O visit me with thy salvation, that I may see the good of thy chosen." Q. 18. Can this special goodness of God be expressed in words? Q. 22. What are the properties of this goodness? A. It is seasonable goodness, Heb. iv. 16; it is soul-satisfying, Psal. cvii. 9; and it is immutable and everlasting, Psal. lii. 1. Q. 23. What improvement ought we to make of the goodness of God? A. We ought to "praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men," Psal. cvii. 8; to be A. No: for, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him," influenced to repentance 1 Cor. ii. 9. And Psal. xxxi. 19. from the consideration of his "O! how great is thy goodness, goodness, Rom. ii. 4; and to which thou hast laid up for them imitate God therein, Heb. xiii. that fear thee?" 16. Of God's Truth. Q. 1. What is the [truth] of God? and faithfulness of God manifested? A. In the exact accomplishment of his promises, Joshua xxiii. 14; and certain execution of his threatenings, Zech. i. A. It is that essential perfection of his nature, whereby he cannot but fulfil and accomplish whatever he hath spoken; or do as he has said, Numb. xxiii. 6. 19. Q. 2. What is it that this perfection of God has a special relation unto? A. To the revelation of his will in his word: hence the whole scripture is infallible truth; "one jot, or one tittle, shall in no wise pass therefrom, till all be fulfilled," Matth. v. 18. For "the word of the Lord endureth for ever," 1 Pet. i. 25. Q. 3. What is God's truth, as respecting his word, commonly called? A. His faithfulness, or veracity, Heb. x. 23. "He is faithful that promised." Q. 4. To what is the truth and faithfulness of God opposed? A. To all change of mind, Job xxiii. 13. "He is in one mind, and who can turn him?" and to all lying and dissimulation, Heb. vi. 18.-"It is impossible for God to lie." Q. 5. Can there be any sistency in his words? Q. 8. How do we give God the honour of his truth and faithfulness? A. By faith, which sets to the seal that God is true, John iii. 33; and judges him faithful who hath promised, Heb. xi. 11. Q. 9. By what sin is this attribute of God most dishonoured? A. By the sin of unbelief, which makes God a liar, because it believes not "the record that God gave of his Son," 1 John v. 10. Q. 10. What record doth God give of his Son? A. "This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son," 1 John v. 11. Q. 11. To whom is this record given? A. To all the hearers of the gospel, as a ground of faith: Mark xvi. 15. "Go ye unto all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature: Acts. ii. 39. "The incon-promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." A. No: for truth always hangs with itself, and he "keepeth truth for ever," Psal. cxlvi. 6. Q. 6. Can he possibly forget what he has said? A. No, surely; "for he will ever be mindful of his covenant," Psal. cxi. 5. Q. 7. Wherein is the truth Q. 12. How doth it appear that this record is given as a ground of faith, to all the hearers of the gospel? A. If it were not so, it were impossible that unbelievers, under the gospel, could make God a liar; for, if they have no con |